A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

Kelly Ortberg has been promoted from president of Rockwell Collins to CEO, succeeding chairman and CEO Clay Jones, who has retired after 15 years at the helm. The company announced a restructuring and rotation of leadership within its commercial systems organization. Jeff Standerski, formerly v-p and general manager of air transport systems, was named v-p and general manager of business and regional systems, while Steve Timm, most recently v-p and general manager of flight information solutions, was tapped as v-p and general manager of air transport systems. Greg Irmen has been named vice president and general manager of a new division that consolidates the former flight information solutions portfolio with the cabin and electro-mechanical systems portfolio. He was previously v-p and general manager of business and regional systems.
Former Sikorsky Aircraft president Jeffrey Pino has been named CEO of newly launched Macquarie Rotorcraft Leasing. James Clarke, most recently CFO of Air Lease, was named COO, while Steve Estill, previously Sikorsky’s v-p for worldwide sales, was tapped as chief marketing officer. Greg Aslinger, former owner of helicopter service provider Uniflight, has joined the company as chief technical officer.
Nextant Aerospace has made several changes to its staff. Jay Heublein was promoted from v-p of sales and marketing with sister company Flight Options to Nextant’s executive v-p of global sales and marketing. Peter Walker, most recently v-p for EMEA sales with Hawker Beechcraft, was named v-p of sales for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, while Richard Lang, formerly a regional sales director with Hawker Beechcraft, was tapped as U.S. regional sales director. The Cleveland-based company also promoted James Immke from director of quality assurance to v-p of quality and safety.
Brian O’Flynn, previously managing director for aviation with Carmanah Technologies, has joined SkyTrac Systems as v-p of sales.
International Communications Group (ICG) has announced some changes to its executive staff. Bryan Trainum has been promoted from director of internal systems development to v-p of program services, while Darren Emery, most recently director of customer service and product support, was named v-p of product and customer services. The Virginia-based airborne communications system provider also tapped Carlos Monsalve, previously a consultant with the company, as v-p of sales, commercial aircraft systems air transport division. 
Global aircraft charter broker Air Charter Service has promoted Richard Thompson from director of the company’s cargo department to executive v-p of its North American offices.
Matthieu Louvot, previously Eurocopter’s head of strategy and company development, has been appointed head of support and services. The rotorcraft manufacturer also named Norbert Ducrot president and CEO of Eurocopter China, in addition to his responsibilities as senior v-p for North Asia.
Cobham has named Robert Mullins, previously senior v-p of corporate strategy for Alliant Techsystems, to the position of executive v-p for corporate strategy and mergers and acquisitions. He replaces David Johnston, who has left the company.
Mike Thomas, previously a regional sales director for the Hawker series at Hawker Beechcraft, has joined Corporate Fleet Services as v-p of business aircraft sales.
Flight Display Systems has appointed Reed Macdonald, most recently CFO of MissionMobility, as COO. The Georgia-based company also named <a href="mailto:pat.bloodworth@flightdisplay.com">Patrick Bloodworth</a>, previously aeronautical business development director with SkyNet Satellite Communications as regional sales executive and hired former Mid Air Aerial Photography owner Aria Bahawdory for the position of technical sales consultant.
Chris Weinberg, most recently FlightSafety’s director of strategy and business development, has been promoted to chief information officer.
Aerospace and defense supply chain service provider Pattonair has named Aaron Mooi president and general manager for the Americas. Before this appointment he managed Aviall’s government services supply chain.
West Star Aviation has promoted Rodger Renaud from general manager of the company’s East Alton, Ill. facility to the newly created position of COO. He was succeeded by Eric Kujawa, previously director of the company’s Falcon and Gulfstream programs.
Todd Hattaway, most recently Beechcraft’s regional sales director for India, Indo-China and Malaysia, has been appointed v-p of technical services for BBA Aviation’s flight-support division. Tony Lefebvre, previously COO with Spirit Airlines, has been named to the same role with the company’s aviation service provider subsidiary, ASIG.
Illinois-based private aviation provider Priester Aviation has named Greg Maldonado executive v-p of sales and marketing. Previously he served as a flight services sales and marketing executive with World Fuel Services.
Safran has appointed Vincent Caro executive v-p of programs for Messier-Bugatti-Dowty’s landing gear and systems integration division. He was previously v-p of purchasing at the company’s Snecma division. Caro replaces Hélène Moreau-Leroy, who has taken over new responsibilities within the group.
New York-based aircraft charter management provider ExcelAire has named Dan Kahn v-p of charter sales. Previously he was president of Jet Charter Now.
Private aviation solutions provider TWC Aviation promoted Jack Mulder from chief pilot to director of operations.
Steve Gentry, most recently a regional sales manager with Avantair, has joined regional fractional <a href="http://www.execairshare.com">Executive AirShare</a> as senior sales director.
ExecuJet Aviation Group has appointed Paul Desgrosseilliers, most recently Jet Aviation’s chief representative in China, to general manager of ExecuJet Haite Aviation Services, the company’s joint venture with the Tianjin, China-based Sichuan Haite Group.
Art Dawley, formerly senior captain for Dreamworks Aviation, has been named managing director at Wyvern. The air charter auditing and information services provider also added Johan Moberg, most recently chief pilot of Nigerian operations for Bristow Helicopter, as staff auditor and Franklin Davis, previously director of aviation for American International Group, as safety consultant and auditor. 
Timken has named Brian Miller, most recently project engineering manager with Alternate Component Technology, product sales manager for its aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul business.
Cutter Aviation has promoted Marisa Alkin from customer service representative to charter coordinator.
Aviation services provider Tyrus Wings has bolstered its Latin American sales with the addition of Mario Dongellini.
Celso Azuma, previously with Colt International, has joined World Fuel Services as sales executive for Brazil.
Jeff Baum, president and CEO of Wisconsin Aviation, has been selected as the new Air Charter Safety Foundation chairman. He succeeds Dennis Keith, whose term expired. David Hewitt, president of Hewitt &amp; Co, was named the new vice-chairman. 
Aircraft and aviation-related data and services company GlobalAir.com has promoted Ray Robinson from West Coast sales representative to media manager.
Jet Aviation has appointed Monica Beusch, previously the company’s director of business development for EMEA and Asia, as the new general manager of Jet Aviation Zurich. She will also serve as head of FBO Services in EMEA and Asia. 
Vector Aerospace has named Greg Mant, previously technical sales representative for Patlon Aircraft, as Eastern Canada regional sales manager for its Helicopter Services North America division. The Canadian MRO provider also appointed Eric Hicks, most recently the company’s international regional sales director, as regional sales director for Western Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. 
John McGraw, the Federal Aviation Administration former deputy director of flight standards service, has joined the National Air Transportation Association as its head of regulatory affairs.
Saker Aircraft has appointed former Cessna president Charlie Johnson to its advisory board. 
John Turner, formerly director of BAE’s military aircraft division, has joined airshow promoter Farnborough International as non-executive director for flying. He takes over from Vic Lockwood, who has retired. 
<a href="http://www.pattonboggs.com/professional/naveen-rao">Naveen Rao</a> has joined international law firm Patton Boggs’s aviation practice group as of counsel. 
Awards &amp; Honors
Jim Albaugh, former president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, was named the 2013 recipient of the Wings Club’s distinguished achievement award, acknowledging his outstanding accomplishments in the field of aviation. He retired last year from the airframer following a 37-year career. Among his honors and memberships, Albaugh is an elected member of both the National Academy of Engineering and the International Academy of Astronautics. He is a Fellow and an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and an elected Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. The award will be presented on October 25 at the Club’s annual awards gala in New York City.
Arinc has received the Above and Beyond award for providing outstanding support to its National Guard and Reserve employees. Created by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) to recognize American employers that provide extraordinary patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, the award is given in limited numbers by state committees to employers who go above and beyond the legal requirements for granting leave and providing support for active military employees.
Wayne Carr, president, CEO and chief pilot for air medevac provider Air Trek, has received the National Business Aviation Association’s Pilot Safety Award for 2012. He received the award for operating business aircraft for a total of 19,000 or more consecutive hours without an accident involving damage to property or injury to persons. 
Final Flights
NicholasSergi, Jr., 75, a long-time aviation maintenance advocate, died July 7 in Ormond Beach, Fla. A former captain and helicopter pilot in the United States Marine Corps, he later served with FlightSafety International for more than 30 years. While there, he served on many aviation-related committees and boards, including an 11-year stint as the industry representative for the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association. After his retirement in 2007, he formed NAS Aviation Consultants, where he continued to demonstrate his passion for aviation maintenance by blogging and writing editorials for Aircraft Maintenance Technology magazine.

People in Aviation: August 2013

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN